How to make R&B music with creative constraints

Stuck on a R&B track? Pull a random R&B creative constraint, accept the brief, and ship a sketch. 53 R&B prompts from the ComposerDeck deck.

R&B constraint cards

• Chord Major 7th Create a major triad with an added major 7th interval. This smooth, jazzy sound appears in many genres.
• Chord Minor 9th Compose using a minor triad with added minor 7th and major 9th. Creates richness with a darker quality.
• Chord Half-diminished (Min7♭5) Compose with a minor triad with diminished 5th and minor 7th. Often functions as ii in minor keys.
• Chord 6/9 Use a major triad with added 6th and 9th. Creates a bright, contemporary sound without 7th tension.
• Roman Numeral ii - V - I (Major) Compose using the fundamental jazz progression in a major key. Can be elaborated with 7ths and extensions.
• Chord Maj13 Incorporate a major 7th chord with added 9th, (often ♯11th), and 13th. Creates a lush, colorful sound.
• Chord Min11 Use a minor 7th chord with added 9th and 11th. Creates a rich, atmospheric minor quality.
• Scale Blues Scale with Added 6th Use a minor pentatonic blues scale with added 6th degree (e.g., A-C-D-E♭-E-G-A). Creates expanded blues vocabulary while maintaining bluesy character.
• Style Emulation Contemporary R&B Production Create a track with modern R&B production characteristics: atmospheric textures, trap-influenced beats, vocal processing effects, and sophisticated harmonic language.
• Rhythm Triplet Feel Groove (Hip Hop) Establish a strong triplet subdivision in your hi-hats, kick/snare pattern, or main groove (e.g., 12/8 feel over 4/4, or explicit triplets). Create a swung or trap-influenced feel.
• Production Prominent 808 Bassline with Glide/Pitch Bends Make the main bass element a tuned 808 sound, focusing on its sub-bass frequencies, decay, and incorporating pitch glides/bends. Create an expressive bass voice.
• Form 16-Bar Verse / 8-Bar Chorus Structure (Hip Hop) Structure your beat to accommodate typical Hip Hop song sections: e.g., 8-bar intro, 16-bar verse, 8-bar chorus, repeat. Design for vocal performance with clear sections.
• Harmony Soulful/Jazz Chord Sample Loop Find or create a 2-4 bar chord progression with a soulful or jazzy vibe (e.g., Rhodes, piano, guitar samples) and loop it as the harmonic foundation. Focus on warmth and harmonic richness.
• Production Sample-Based Melodic Hook (Chopped & Pitched) Create a catchy melodic hook by chopping, pitching, and resequencing a vocal or instrumental sample. Transform existing material into something new and distinctive.
• Rhythm 4/4 with Strong Backbeat (Pop/Rock) Establish a strong 4/4 groove with a clear emphasis on beats 2 and 4 (the backbeat), typically on the snare drum. Create a powerful rhythmic foundation.
• Tempo Mid-Tempo Pop Groove (90-120 BPM) Compose a track with a comfortable, danceable mid-tempo feel, common in many pop songs. Create an accessible, energetic but not frantic pace.
• Rhythm Syncopated Pop Bassline Create a pop bassline that uses syncopation to add groove and interest against a straighter drum beat or chordal rhythm. Add rhythmic sophistication beneath a straightforward foundation.
• Production Layered Vocal Production (Pop) Focus on creating a full, modern pop vocal sound with a clear lead, tight doubles, background harmonies, and possibly ad-libs (even if using instruments to emulate). Create depth through vocal arranging.
• Chord Smooth R&B Chord Progression (e.g., ii-V-I variations) Compose a 4-8 bar progression using lush chords common in R&B, such as extended minor 7ths, dominant 9ths, and major 7ths (e.g., Dm9 - G13 - Cmaj9).
• Roman Numeral Imaj7 - viim7b5/ii - V7sus - Imaj7 (R&B Turnaround) Use a sophisticated R&B turnaround like Imaj7 - VIm7 - iim7 - V7, or a variation with more extended chords, to lead back to the tonic.
• Note Melismatic Vocal Run Focus Note (R&B) Identify a key target note (e.g., the 3rd or 5th of a chord) that a melismatic R&B vocal run would resolve to or pivot around.
• Scale Blues Scale with R&B Phrasing Compose a melodic phrase using the blues scale, but with a smoother, more contemporary R&B rhythmic phrasing and articulation.
• Time Signature Slow Jam 4/4 with Triplet Feel (R&B) Create an R&B "slow jam" groove in 4/4, but with a strong underlying triplet subdivision in elements like hi-hats or melodic phrasing (effectively 12/8 feel).
• Instrument Electric Piano (Rhodes/Wurli) for R&B Chords Feature an electric piano sound (like a Rhodes or Wurlitzer) playing the main chord progression in an R&B track.

Keep going

• Advanced chord progressions
• Modal interchange
• Working with creative constraints